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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29949945">Unseen</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneEndEARling/pseuds/OneEndEARling'>OneEndEARling</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Real Person Fiction</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 00:40:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>996</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29949945</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneEndEARling/pseuds/OneEndEARling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
      <p>Just a little something I wrote anonymously back in 2004...</p>
    </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Unseen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Just a little something I wrote anonymously back in 2004...</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I love her even more today.</p><p>Well, is it even possible to love someone that you hardly know?  I guess it would be more accurate for me to say, "I like her even more today."  But that isn't nearly as interesting.  And I'm pretty sure I feel more than a casual like for her.  </p><p>It isn't as if I hardly know her.  I've known her for over a year.  We work at the same place, but in different departments.  Sometimes, when she drops by, I even get a chance to talk to her.  She smiles when she sees me, this beautifully radiant smile that just lights up the whole room.  We'll engage in small talk.  That, I can do.  I can ask her about how long her shift is, she'll ask me if I'm working late... and I usually am.  </p><p>That's why I haven't had the opportunity to ask her to join me for a drink or something after work.  Cuz I work late and she doesn't.  </p><p>I like to know ahead of time if she's coming by.  Sometimes, I'll catch a snippet of information from one of my managers.  "Someone from the ID team will come by to pick up the information tomorrow."</p><p>I'll try to come up with something interesting to talk to her about, just in case Sara is the one from the team who's dropping by.  I might decide to wear something nicer that day, or make sure my hair isn't doing something wonky.  Maybe I'll bring in a couple of cookies just so I can offer her one.</p><p>Gah, if she only knew how much time I spend preplanning the brief five minutes I might have her attention for.  </p><p>Sometimes, the ID team sends Justin instead.  Most of the girls in my department think he's cute.  They talk about him long after he leaves.  Maybe they're disappointed when Sara shows up, the same way I'm always disappointed when he shows up.  I never talk about how beautiful I think Sara is.  Or how friendly she is.  Or how much I love to make her laugh or smile.  I don't tell any of my coworkers how it makes my day to see her.  They can't tell how nervous I get when she's around, at least, I hope they can't.  I don't think any of them see what I see.</p><p>Sara left us her phone number about a month ago, just in case we had any trouble with the paperwork she'd dropped off.  I carefully saved that number in my cell phone.  Would it be weird to call her out of the blue?  For something unrelated to work?  What would I say to her?  What if she thought I was totally stalking her?</p><p>I don't even want to think about that possibility.  It would be horrible.  So I've never called that number.  Unfortunately, I've never had any trouble with the paperwork either.  I don't even have a good work-related excuse to call her.</p><p>I found a beautiful necklace while on vacation a few weeks ago.  It was a dragonfly pendant, with bluish-green abalone shell, hanging on a simple black leather necklace.  It wasn't expensive, but I had never seen anything like it and I knew I wanted to give it to Sara.  I intended to keep it in my work locker for as long as I had to, until I found the perfect moment.  </p><p>Luckily, I didn't have to wait long.  Sara came by to pick up some paperwork.  She was training someone new.  I was the only one in my department at the time so, after I handed Sara the manilla envelopes, I said, "Oh, and come back down when you're finished.  I have something for you."</p><p>She raised her eyebrows in surprise and smiled, "Oh, okay."</p><p>When she came back an hour later, I led her to the employee break room while I explained, "I went on vacation and bought a few things for some of my coworkers.  I saw this..." I unwrapped the necklace, "and I thought you should have it."</p><p>Her eyes completely lit up as I handed her the necklace.  "Oh my gosh, this is beautiful!  I can't believe you'd get something for me!"  She put the necklace on and threw her arms around me in a hug.  It was the first time we'd ever made physical contact.  God, I hope she couldn't tell how warm and sweaty I felt.  The room suddenly felt like it was 90 degrees.  I laughed nervously and said, "I'm glad you like it."</p><p>"I love it!  My boyfriend never gets me anything this pretty."</p><p>The comment gave me a mixed reaction.  So, there is a boyfriend in the picture.  But I kept my cool---I didn't even flinch when she said the word.  She hugged me again before she left that night.  And I would have been on cloud nine, I'm sure.  But the whole boyfriend thing made me sad.</p><p>I guess it isn't meant to be anyway.  I mean, I hardly know her.  And I know she doesn't see me as anything more than a coworker.  Maybe a friend, but still just someone she works with.  Every now and then.</p><p>I haven't even seen her since that day I gave her the necklace.  It's been a couple of weeks.  I guess it doesn't count that I was out all last week.  When I came back today, I found a curious little envelope in my employee mailbox.  I opened it and was stunned to find a cute little card from Sara.  She thanked me again for the necklace and said she loved having me as a friend.  And now, dammit, I like her even more.</p><p>Maybe I'll use that number and call her tomorrow, to let her know I got the card and that I found it very thoughtful.  Or maybe I should just stop tormenting myself.  Sara has a boyfriend.  She probably doesn't even think twice about a girl like me.</p>
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